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incentive option

incentive option

7.7
A right to buy company stock at a set price if the company meets business goals
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈsɛntɪv ˈɑpʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : opción de incentivo
  • The company offered an incentive option that would allow executives to buy stock at a lower price if sales targets were achieved.

Examples

  • Now when you think of options, a lot of options are what are called incentive options, OK.

  • As part of their compensation package, many executives received an incentive option tied to the company's annual profits.

  • The board implemented an incentive option to encourage executives to improve overall company performance over the next fiscal year.

Synonyms

option
vsincentive option
  • Specialized
256 7.4

A right to buy or sell something at a set price before a set time

is specifically a grant for company leaders to buy shares after meeting targets
stock option
vsincentive option
  • Specialized
32 4.8

A right to buy company shares later at a fixed price, often given to employees

is restricted to grants tied to performance goals for company executives
incentive stock option
vsincentive option
  • Specialized
7.4

An offer that lets employees buy company shares later if the company meets its goals

is the same meaning but named without mentioning company shares explicitly

Antonyms

12 7.2

A thing that makes people less likely to do something

Surface Forms

Morphology

incentive + option

The meaning is directly compositional: 'incentive' (a reward to motivate) modifies 'option' (a right to buy/sell), yielding an 'option offered as a reward/ motivator.' A B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer this general sense (an option given to motivate behavior), even if they may not know the technical stock-market specifics.

Etymology

Incentive option combines incentive, a reward to encourage people to work harder, and option, a choice to buy something later. Think of it as a coupon that lets a company leader 'buy stock at a fixed price' if the company 'meets goals', so the phrase means a reward that lets someone buy shares when targets are reached.